


A Make Believe World

by writetherest



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Housesitter AU, Inspired by a Movie, Movie AU, mentions of Regina/Graham
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-23
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2018-02-18 11:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2346749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetherest/pseuds/writetherest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When architect Regina Mills leaves waitress Emma Swan with nothing more than a drawing of an empty house and stories of an idyllic town after a one-night stand, Emma decides she'd like to live in that picture for a while. So she moves into the house and pretends to be Regina's wife. It's the perfect plan – at least until Regina finds out about it. Emma can live in a make believe world. But can Regina?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was highly inspired by the movie Housesitter. Some quotes have been taken directly from the movie. No infringement intended.
> 
> I know this isn't complete yet, but I will have the rest up ASAP. Modly duties and real life collided and ended up not leaving me with enough time to finish it before the reveal. 
> 
> HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks to Laura for the GORGEOUS art she made to accompany this fic. It is beyond anything I could've imagined and I love it so, so very much. I can't thank her enough for her work and for her your patience in dealing with me. Everyone go praise the heck out of her for her amazingness.
> 
> As always, to my partner in crime, Lola. Without her the Bang wouldn't have happened and this fic, as well as many, many others, wouldn't have happened. Thank you for all the help with this one, and with everything else.
> 
> And finally, to all the Big Bang participants... y'all amaze and inspire me every day. You have given me so much joy throughout this process. Thank you all for being so, so fabulous.

“I still say it’s a boring building, no matter how you look at it.” Regina called over the raucous crowd at The Jolly Roger, frowning as she pushed her way through the throngs of people.

“Ah, but Regina, you’re forgetting the best thing about the building. Two words: billable hours.”

“Yes, Jefferson, but did you enjoy doing it?”

“I’ll enjoy the money I make from it, darling, and that’s all that matters.” Jefferson laughed as they finally found a less crowded area.

“God, I hate this place.” Regina huffed as she looked around the tacky bar with its nautical theme and waitresses wearing barely there wench costumes. “I don’t see why Mr. Gold insists on having all his parties here.”

“Well,” Jefferson raised his eyebrows, which always meant he had gossip to share, “rumor has it that Gold’s ex-wife was having an affair with the owner of this place. He divorced her and left her with nothing and she in turn left the owner because he wasn’t making any money. So Gold comes here any chance he can get to throw money around and show what a big shot he is.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Ridiculous.”

“But a great story.” Jefferson laughed.

“More?” Came a voice and they both turned to see one of the waitresses standing before them with a large bottle of champagne, looking at their half empty glasses.

“Well, hello there.” Jefferson grinned, his eyes falling to the woman’s bosom which was nearly spilling out of her costume.

Regina rolled her eyes and held her glass out. The waitress began to pour the champagne, a large smile on her face.

“Woah.” Regina said as she saw the glass getting full but the waitress just kept pouring. “Whoa, whoa!” She pulled the glass back and nearly growled as some of the champagne fell on her shoes.

“Sorry. Sorry.” The waitress said, her voice accented.

“Where are you from?” Jefferson asked.

“Eh?” She tilted her head to the side and gazed at him.

“He wants to know if you speak English.” Regina tried.

“Eh?” She said again.

“She said, are you ticklish? Do you spank?” Jefferson replied, laughing.

“Jefferson!” Regina gasped, appalled.

“Emma.” The waitress said. “Is to be called Emma.”

Before they could continue their little conversation, the owner of the bar, Killian Jones came busting through the crowd. “Swan!” He barked. “Back to work. Go!” Then he turned to Jefferson and Regina with a grin. “Enjoy the party.”

Regina quickly shrugged his hand off her shoulder and moved over to a small, unoccupied booth. “The man is dressed like a pirate. It’s ridiculous.”

“Right down to the hook on his hand.” Jefferson laughed as he slid in across from her.

“Ugh, this party is ridiculous.” Regina drank the rest of her champagne quickly. “I’m going home.”

“To do what? Mope?”

“I do not mope, Jefferson.”

“Please, all you do since Graham turned down your proposal is mope. It’s been months, Regina, you need to get over it.”

“Oh really? And how do you suggest I do that?”

“Get laid!” Jefferson laughed. “There are plenty of people at this party that I’m sure would love to jump into the sack with you. Hell, you could try with that delicious waitress.”

“Jefferson!”

“Oh Regina, it’s the 21st century. Lighten up. Embrace your sexuality. You’ve probably never even experimented in bed. Might be why Graham said no, you know.”

“God, Jefferson, you are my most disgusting friend. I don’t know why I hang around you.”

“But you do. Because you know I speak the truth.” Jefferson smirked. Then his eyes caught something behind her and he sat up straighter. “Gold, twelve o’clock.”

“Mr. Gold,” He stood up, moving over to the man and holding out his hand. “Congratulations on another wonderful job.”

Gold didn’t shake his hand, but he did offer a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, Jefferson. We all have a right to feel proud.”

“Absolutely. And I don’t want to embarrass you sir, but I just want to say that your leadership on this project has been an inspiration to us all.”

Regina’s hand came up to cover her face as she shook her head at the absolute ass kissing Jefferson was doing. It was pathetic.

“I don’t know if you know Regina Mills from the firm.” She heard Jefferson saying and looked up to see Mr. Gold right in front of her.

“Hello, Mr. Gold.” She stood up and nodded at the rather imposing man.

“Hello, Regina.”

Jefferson motioned at her to say something. Regina frowned. “You know, sir, the Boston Bank Building that you designed years ago… I’ve stood and absorbed that structure for hours. It still surprises me.”

“Well, thank you, Regina.” Gold did smile then and Regina felt the words coming out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“So, don’t you think we should be going for that kind of originality instead of these same cookie cutter designs, over and over? All of our buildings look the same. Don’t you feel sometimes like we’re just going through the motions?”

Gold’s smile disappeared, replaced instead with an angry frown. “Miss Mills, need I remind you that we are the largest architectural firm in New England? Evidently, some people like what we do.”

With that, Gold left them, cutting through the crowd with his walking stick. Regina winced.

“What are you, insane?” Jefferson hissed at her. “Why didn’t you just kick the man in his bad leg? Or hell, his balls while you were at it.”

“You don’t need to be crude.” Regina frowned. “I thought he’d appreciate a fresh point of view.”

“Why would you think that? He’s the boss, Regina. Jesus, if I could find the right doctor, I’d have my lips permanently sewed to his ass.”

“Well, we don’t all have the same plastic surgery goals as you, Jefferson.”

“Yes, darling, but come Monday, I will still have a job.” Jefferson said before raising his glass and sculling his champagne.

**

Time went by. Jefferson and eventually all the other partygoers left, but the alcohol didn’t. Sometime after her third or fourth glass of champagne, Regina made her way to the bar and the vodka. From there, things became a bit of a blur.

Regina wasn’t sure how late it was, although she could tell it was close to closing time as only she, Emma, and a bartender were left. The bartender had placed a napkin in front of her along with her second (third?) vodka tonic and she’d managed to find a pen with which to draw on it.

At first she had just been drawing random lines, but a picture quickly began to take shape. It made her wince with each stroke, yet she continued on, until a large white house took over the whole napkin. Looking at it now, it disgusted her. How had she been so stupid?

Emma was moving along the bar, wiping up, obviously ready to get out of the bar as quickly as possible. As she moved closer, Regina noticed her.

“Is Emma, yes?” Regina mocked, the alcohol she’d consumed as well as the swirling feelings of anger and pain and inadequacy thinking of the house always brought her mixing together to loosen her lips. “Beautiful, beautiful Emma who speaks no English.”

Emma paid no attention to her, just continued scrubbing down the bar, although her movements did become just a bit more jerky. Regina held the napkin up, showing off the picture. “Look at this. Look at it!”

Emma moved around her, sparing a quick glance at the napkin while picking up the various empty glasses littered around Regina.

“This… is an engagement ring. For a man, mind you. Which I suppose is rather forward thinking, but I’ve always been a rather take charge kind of woman. When I want something, I go after it you know?”

Emma’s cleaning continued. Regina waved the napkin, her speech becoming more impassioned.

“Of course it’s really just a drawing but… it’s a drawing of an engagement ring that I designed and even built. Of course, as engagement rings go, especially for men, I would suppose, it turned out to be a little big. Too much of a threat to his masculinity to get an engagement ring from a woman, even if it was in the shape of a house.”

Regina shoved the napkin into her clutch and picked up her glass, the only one Emma had left behind. She glanced down the bar where Emma was bent over, still wiping up. Her breasts were pushed forward and Regina had to admit, even as tacky as it was, the outfit certainly looked good on her.

“Emma.” She muttered the name. “Emma, Emma, Emma.” Downing the rest of her drink, Regina turned to fully face the waitress. “So, what do ya say, Emma? Emma gonna get laid tonight?”

The cheap line made her flinch just a bit, as did the burn in her throat, but Regina found herself continuing anyway. “Well, Emma?”

“Night, Ems!” A voiced called out as another waitress walked by them.

“Night!” Emma called back with a wave.

“Hey, Emma, I’ll take care of the opening tomorrow.” The bartender told her when she moved behind the bar to drop all the glasses and her cloth into the dish bin.

“You will? Oh, August, you’re a lifesaver. I can actually sleep!” Emma laughed as she hugged him, the accent gone and her English perfect. “I love you.”

Regina’s head snapped up, staring at the waitress in disbelief.

“No problem. Go ahead and get out of here, will ya?”

“Thanks again.” Emma leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before she disappeared into the employees only area. Regina’s eyes followed her the entire time.

**

“Taxi!” Regina called as she stood on the street corner. Not long after English-speaking Emma had disappeared, the bartender had told her it was last call and so she’d stumbled out of the bar, hoping to call a cab to take her home and cursing Jefferson for leaving her without a ride. She’d found, much to her dismay, that her cell phone battery was dead, leaving her with the task of hailing a cab by hand.

So far, she’d seen only one cab go by and that one had sped right past, its lights off. The street was rather deserted and Regina could feel her ire rising with each passing moment. Damn Gold and damn Jefferson and damn…

The back door to the bar opened and the blonde waitress came out, calling goodnights to everyone still inside as she went. She had a shawl she was fluffing out to wrap around her shoulders.

“Hey!” Regina glared at her. Emma paused, but didn’t look the least bit concerned about Regina’s presence or her anger. “You tricked me. Why were you pretending to not speak English?”

“Ambience.” Emma shrugged.

“Ambience?” Regina scoffed.

“Killian says it’s more exotic and pleases the customers if they think we don’t speak English. So I do what the boss tells me.” Emma looked Regina up and down. “And it seems that he’s right.”

“Still,” Regina protested, ignoring Emma’s remark, “you tricked me.”

“I didn’t trick you.” Emma smirked. “I deceived you.”

“And what, pray tell, is the difference?”

“Intention.”

“Intention? What are you, a law student or something?”

“Hey.” Emma pointed at her with a smile.

“So I was right.” Regina sounded smug as she moved closer. “You are a law student. Are you taking classes right now?”

Emma wrapped the shawl around her shoulders and shot a look at Regina. “Don’t you mean ‘Emma taking classes right now’?”

Regina raised a hand up in almost supplication. “I admit, I was a tad condescending in there when –“

“Yeah, when you thought I was just a waitress who didn’t speak English.”

“I’m sorry. I apologize.”

“I’m not a law student.” Emma said matter-of-factly before turning and starting off down the street.

“Then why did you tell me you were a law student?”

“I didn’t tell you I was a law student. You told me I was a law student. I just told you that I wasn’t a law student.” Emma turned back around to deliver the mouthful before once again starting on her way.

Regina watched her walk, taking in the sway of her hips, and found herself intrigued both by Emma’s body and her personality. She felt rattled for the first time in a long time and rather than hating it, as she usually did, she found that tonight, mixed with the alcohol and all her other tumultuous emotions, it felt exhilarating. Her feet began to move forward.

“Listen.” She called out. “Can we go get a coffee?”

Emma turned back around and studied her, as though looking for something that Regina didn’t understand. When her appraisal was over, she shook her head. “No thanks. I’ve really got to get home.”

“Share my cab.” Regina spit out, feeling an impulsive need not to let Emma go just yet. “I’ll give you a lift.”

Emma laughed. “Well, thank you very much for the offer, but I don’t see any cabs around. And my place is real close by.”

“Then I’ll walk you.” Regina moved closer. “Honestly, I could use some air.”

Emma looked at Regina again. Thunder rumbled overhead and a small smile tugged at Emma’s lips. She rewrapped her shawl and gave a slight incline of her head. “Okay.”

Regina found herself smiling back as she fell into step with Emma.

**

“Well,” Emma said, climbing up on the concrete bench and walking along above Regina as though it was a natural thing to do, “there’s just all these places I want to live before I die and Boston just happened to be one of them. Of course there’s New York, which is where I came up here from. And before that it was Seattle, San Francisco, New Orleans, Tallahassee, Phoenix, Portland, Worchester.”

“Worchester?”

“Well, Worchester,” the bench ended and Emma stepped down, never missing a beat as they continued walking, “it was kind of a… detour I guess. But I lived there, so I count it. And before that it was –“

“My goodness, you’ve lived everywhere, haven’t you? I’ve never lived anywhere.”

Emma looked over at her. “How can you never live anywhere?”

“Well, just here and Storybrooke. That’s where I grew up. It’s not that far from here, really.”

“Storybrooke.” Emma rolled the name around on her tongue. “Sounds like something out of a fairy tale.”

“It could be. It’s what the people like to call a hidden gem. Peaceful. A picket fence kind of town. There’s Granny’s diner and the clock tower over the library, the Miner’s Day festival. All those small town things. Everyone knows everyone, that sort of thing. You know what I mean?”

Regina turned to look at Emma and found her with a far away look in her eye. She looked almost wistful and she wondered if it was because of her description of the town but then Emma shook herself out of whatever thoughts she’d been in and smiled. “Oh sure! So, is that where he’s from?”

“Who?” Regina frowned.

“The guy who thought the house was too emasculating an engagement ring.”

“Oh, Graham. No, no, that’s over.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“It is.” She insisted firmly. “Anyway, I don’t even go up there much anymore. I should probably go and take the ribbon off the front door at some point but… well.”

Emma turned to her, eyes wide. “You mean you still own it? And nobody’s living in it?”

“Yes. It’s a waste, I guess but… it’s just so nice there. Especially this time of year with the leaves changing color and my family’s there of course and the house just… the master bedroom has these great big doors with windows that lead out onto a balcony that overlooks the backyard and there’s a stable near by and… I’m sorry. I still get excited about it, I guess. I mean, I don’t use it but…”

“But what?”

“But I just can’t bring myself to sell it. It’s like I’m stuck where I am and I don’t know how to change it. Do you ever feel like that?”

“No.” Emma shrugged, laughing as another crack of thunder was followed by the skies opening up and rain pouring down.

“No!” Regina shrieked, quickly running across the street looking for shelter.

“No, I change myself all the time. Things aren’t working out, I just change where I live or what I do. I change myself.”

“Well, you, yes.” Regina huffed as she managed to take cover under an awning, looking out at Emma who still stood in the rain, laughing. “You don’t speak English one minute and are a law student the next.”

“This is fabulous!” Emma called out as she began to turn in circles in the rain. “Oh, I love it. Regina, you’ve got to come out here!”

“I most certainly will not.” Regina shook her head. It was then that she noticed exactly where it was that she was standing. “Emma, we’re right back where we started from.”

“Well yeah.” Emma said as she crossed the street, still turning and playing in the rain. “It’s where I live. Above the bar.” She pointed up towards a window. “I told you it was close, but you wanted some air, so we went for a walk.”

Emma walked past Regina, heading for a small door that apparently lead up to her apartment. Regina watched her go in a mixture of confusion and awe. It was only when Emma disappeared into the doorway that she shook herself from her stupor. “Emma, wait!”

Emma’s head peeked around the corner, her curls sopping wet. She looked like a drowned rat, yet somehow, Regina also found her to be adorable.

“Can I use your phone to call a cab? Do you mind? It’s just that my cell phone is dead.”

“Sure. Why not?” Emma grinned, her head disappearing. Regina hurried after her.

**

“So,” Emma pushed open the door to a dingy apartment, “in return for waitressing, I get to live here rent free. Which works out for both of us, really.”

Regina turned to close the door as Emma bustled about in the small apartment, but she found that the door wouldn’t latch. She pushed it a few times, but it continued to come back open. “I think your lock is broken.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been ragging on Killian about that, but so far he hasn’t done anything.” A wet dress was tossed from the room Emma had gone into, the one Regina realized must be the bathroom. It fell to the floor with a plop.

Regina moved over to the small, ragged looking couch and sat down, her eyes scanning the apartment but doing their best to steer clear of the still open doorway to the bathroom. She did her best not to think about Emma and how she was more than likely naked in the bathroom. She didn’t blame the woman, it was her apartment after all and she’d been soaked through with the rain. Still, she could’ve at least closed the door as Regina was in the apartment too. Although maybe that door lock was broken too.

“Anyway,” Emma padded out of the bathroom in a pair of leggings and a button up shirt that she was still in the midst of buttoning, “this is my place.”

“It’s cozy.”

“Which means crummy.” Emma’s sing-songed.

“No.” Regina denied. “I like what you’ve done with it. The little lights and the drapes there.” She pointed towards the window.

“Yeah, well, I’m no architect.”

“It’s nice. Really. I like the way you’ve used the negative space.”

“You’re interesting.” Emma laughed as she ducked into the bathroom.

“Really?” Regina’s brow raised.

“Yeah. You’re so… uptight.”

Regina frowned as she looked at Emma who was still wearing a smile as she toweled her hair dry. “Well, I guess you better give me your phone and I’ll be out of your way.”

Emma looked at her again in that same searching way and the minutes seemed to drag on before she finally turned back towards the bathroom. “I don’t have a phone.”

“What?” Regina blinked.

“Well, I can’t really afford a cell plan and god knows Killian’s too cheap to give me a landline here. And I don’t really know anyone in town, I live right above my place of work so… I figure I don’t really need one.”

“But I asked you if I could come up here and use your phone.” Regina said, filtering the conversation back through her mind. Things were still a little hazy, although not nearly as much as they’d been when she’d first left the bar, but she knew for sure that she had asked Emma to use her phone and that Emma had said yes.

“That’s not what you asked me.” Emma replied, moving over to the small dining table and sitting down on a stool.

“That’s exactly what I asked you!”

“You did not. You asked me if you could come up here and sleep with me. You know that as well as I do.”

Regina’s mouth gaped open and she just stared at Emma. Her hair was still dripping at the ends, water falling onto the white cotton shirt and beginning to soak through, revealing the skin beneath. She moved closer, still trying to process everything that was going on, everything Emma was and wasn’t saying. Her own words, the drunken come on to Emma at the bar, and Jefferson’s taunting about getting over Graham by sleeping with someone else swirled in her mind.

Emma kept her eyes locked on Regina’s even as she moved to brush back her wet hair. Regina stopped just in front of Emma. This time she was the one searching as her hand tentatively reached out and touched Emma’s wet hair for a moment before dropping down to cover the hand that was lying on the table.

“You said yes.” She whispered before leaning down to softly press her lips against Emma’s.

When she pulled back, she let out a breath and then took the plunge. “May I stay?”

Emma bit her lip for a moment before she smiled. It was different than the other smiles Regina had seen from her but it was also the most beautiful one yet. “Yeah.” She breathed before standing up and taking Regina’s hand in hers to lead her to the bed.

**

Emma awoke the next morning to an empty bed. It wasn’t the first time, but for some reason, it felt lonelier and hurt just a little bit more than usual. She frowned as she glanced around for any trace of Regina, wondering if perhaps she’d just gotten up to use the bathroom, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

With a sigh, she sat up, clutching the sheet to her naked body. “Que sera sera.” She muttered to herself as she swung her legs over the bed to stand. Her foot settled on something that wasn’t carpet and she pulled back, looking down to see the napkin that Regina had drawn on and waved around the night before.

Emma remembered that at one point, they had knocked into the headboard so hard it had shaken the bedside table and Regina’s clutch had fallen open on the floor. Apparently, in her haste to gather her things and leave before Emma woke up, she’d left the napkin behind. Or maybe she’d wanted to leave it behind, just like the memory of what she’d done with Emma.

Either way, Emma found herself holding the napkin and staring down at the house, Regina’s words about the abandoned house and small town floating through her mind.

“Storybrooke.” She whispered aloud, a plan slowly beginning to take place. She ran her finger over the drawing and smiled. “Storybrooke.”


	2. Chapter 2

"Storybrooke!" The voice cut through Emma’s haze of sleep and she blinked her eyes open in surprise. "Watch your step getting off." The bus driver called and Emma jumped up quickly, grabbing the large duffle bag where she’d stuffed all her worldly possessions before buying a bus ticket.

"Thanks!" She grinned at the bus driver as she stepped down onto the sidewalk.

She flinched just a bit when the bus pulled away, the hiss of the air breaks startling her from her stupor. Even from this spot, Emma could tell that the town was exactly as Regina had described it and she herself had thought of it – like something out of a fairytale. Or at least like something out of Emma’s daydreams as a kid.

A dog barking caught her attention and she turned to see a man walking a Dalmatian down the street, waving at another man up on a ladder out front of a store. “Hello, Marco!”

"Archie, my friend! And Pongo! Good day to you!" The man called back.

There was the ring of a bicycle bell as a girl passed by, a boy chasing after her, yelling that it was his turn to ride. The scent of fresh baked bread tickled her nose as she saw the sign for the Storybrooke Bakery and something smelled even better right behind her – Granny’s Diner.

Emma took it all in, absorbing and memorizing it before she finally glanced down at the paper in her hand and began to move. Her eyes roved over the shop windows and up and down the streets as she walked, always looking for the large white house or the stables that Regina had described. But as she went, she also took in more and more of the small town. The library with the clock tower, the docks where she stopped to take in the sea air and the crash of the waves, the school with the bell on top and a school yard behind. There were houses with white picket fences, ladies out in their gardens tending to flowers and vegetables.

More than once, Emma had to blink her eyes, pushing back tears that she blamed on the dust and pollen, rather than the tugging in her heart. Home, it seemed to beat, even as she knew that it could never really be. To Regina, maybe, and all the others who made up this town, but not to her, the girl who always got left behind. She’d enjoy it while she could and then run, like always.

It took about half an hour of walking around the streets of the town before Emma finally caught sight of a sign that read Mifflin Street, and beyond it, a large glimpse of white. She increased her pace and grinned as she saw, there at the far end of the street, the majestic white house. Just to be sure, she pulled out the napkin from her pocket and held it up.

It was a perfect match.

**

There was a white picket fence around the house – of course there was – and a big red bow wrapped around the door just as Regina had said. Emma opened the gate and walked up the path to the front porch of the house in awe. It could hardly be called a house in her eyes, more like a mansion, and the path was trimmed with hedges. She took in the black shutters and the large balcony overhanging the front porch and shook her head.

"Man, that Graham guy was an idiot for turning this down." Not to mention Regina herself, she thought before shaking her head. There was no sense in pining away for the woman – she had other plans instead.

When she reached the door, she ran her fingers over the gold numbers off to the side. “108 Mifflin Street.”

The lock looked pretty standard, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to pick it, she decided, but when she took hold of the handle, it turned easily in her hand and the door swung open. “Well, that works.”

As she stepped inside, she couldn’t help but gasp at the interior of the house. While the outside had certainly looked grand, it had absolutely nothing on the inside of the house. It was still without furnishings, but even so, Emma was blown away. A huge foyer and a grand staircase leading up to the second floor were the first things her eyes took in as she dropped her duffle bag by the door. She moved through the foyer and began exploring, room by room.

The kitchen was a wonder and Emma couldn’t stop the small grin when she pulled open the refrigerator to reveal a bottle of champagne chilling. Two glasses were situated on the island counter and although she felt bad for the disappointment Regina must have felt, she was quite pleased to see what a good bottle of champagne it was.

She let out a loud laugh as the cork popped off and the champagne bubbled out over the top of the bottle. She licked up the drippings before taking a swallow right from the bottle. This was far better than the cheap stuff they served at the Jolly Roger and she laughed at the feeling of the bubbles tickling her throat the whole way down.

"Here’s to me and this house." She saluted herself before moving on, carrying the bottle with her. There were many more rooms to explore.

She named the rooms off in her head as she went, although without furnishings, she couldn’t be sure that her assessments were what Regina had envisioned, but she assumed she was fairly close in her guesses. A set of stairs in the hall by the kitchen led down to a finished basement that was huge. It would make an awesome gaming room, she thought, although she was fairly certain that was not at all the way Regina had planned. Heading back up to the first floor, she moved through a living room, dining room, and study, and took in the sight of the gorgeous back porch that lead to a back yard she would definitely be exploring later. There were large windows throughout the house, which offered a lovely natural lighting that Emma was thankful for as she moved upstairs.

There she found various rooms that could be guest rooms, home offices, or any other number of things. But it was the master suite she was most concerned with and she was not disappointed at all when she saw it. Huge windowed doors led out to a balcony and Emma was amazed at the beautiful view. The stables that Regina had talked about were within sight, as well as the stretch of the back yard, including a beautiful apple tree. She could hear birds chirping as she stood there, taking in the view.

When she finally came back into the room, she took in the huge space and just imagined a huge, lush bed in the middle of the room. There was a walk in closet that she swore was bigger than the apartment she had just left and when she entered the bathroom, she couldn’t help herself – she jumped right into the giant Jacuzzi tub and stretched out. It was obviously designed with at least two people in mind and Emma figured that if nothing else, she could sleep right in the tub and be comfortable.

She let out a whistle as she climbed out of the bathtub, shaking her head in awe. “Damn, Regina. This is one hell of an engagement ring.”

It was then that her stomach started to growl.

**

Besides the champagne there was absolutely nothing in the house to eat. But Emma remembered seeing a little store on her way through town that was sure to have some food, so she headed in that direction.

Clark’s, the sign above the store read, and Emma slipped in quietly while the man at the counter was dealing with another customer. It was always better not to be noticed, Emma knew. She started at the back of the store, slowly working her way through the aisles, taking everything in. Peanut butter was an easy swipe, as was tuna fish. She could slip the jar of peanut butter under her red leather jacket and slid a few cans of tuna into the pockets of the jacket.

There was plenty of other mouth-watering food around, but Emma knew she’d need to stick to the basics now. It had been a while since her last stint at shoplifting and she was well aware that although this place looked easy enough without any surveillance cameras, that it was always the little mom and pop shops that had the cashiers with the eagle eyes.

"Alright, Ruby, that’ll be $23.85." The man behind the counter said.

"Can you just put it on Granny’s account?" The woman, Ruby, grinned.

"Sure thing. You tell your Granny I said hello, won’t you?"

"Of course. Thanks, Tom." Ruby grabbed her bags and left the store, the little bell above the door signaling not only her departure, but the arrival of another little scheme on Emma’s part. She grinned as she slipped the tuna fish can out of her pocket and grabbed a loaf of bread from in front of her.

Soon the counter in front of Tom was covered in food stuffs that he was rapidly adding up. “That all?” He asked when Emma dropped down a packet of steaks and finally stayed still, instead of rushing off to grab something else.

She offered a sheepish smile and nod. “Yes, sir.” It always helped to be polite with these small town folks.

"Well, miss, you’re looking at $59.25."

"Right." She smiled brightly. "Put that on the Regina Mills account please."

Tom froze and stared at her. Emma felt the hair at the back of her neck rise up, a sure sign that a con was about to go wrong. Shit.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Regina Mills." Emma offered again, smiling widely. "108 Mifflin Street?"

"Yeah, I know, Regina. But she doesn’t have an account here."

Double shit. A voice that sounded far too much like Neal’s quickly supplied the next steps to the con.  _Deflect attention._  “Wait a minute, you’re Tom right?”

"And you are?" Tom wasn’t fooled.

"Oh, she told me all about you!" Emma gushed.  _Stroke their ego. Make them think they’re important._  “And this lovely little store. Gosh, it’s so great.”  _Familiarize yourself to them._ She leaned in. “You know, when I was growing up, my grandfather had a little store just like this one in a little town in Pennsylvania.”

"Ah ha." Tom nodded, looking at her over his glasses. "And your relation to Regina is?"

"Oh gosh. Where do I begin? It all just happened so fast. I mean, I came here really just to like, get the house together and everything like that, you know? In fact, Regina doesn’t even know I’m here, the truth be known. But I told her I was going to visit my grandfather, the one from Pennsylvania, you know? And I thought it would be so great to like, surprise her. Which I hope I still do. Anyway," she giggled, "I met her and then she said to me what a great little town this is and how she built this wonderful house and the truth is… the truth is that…" Emma’s mind was whirring because obviously not even this was working on the man and if she didn’t come up with something soon, she’d never get away with it.

"The truth is that I’m her wife!" She finally blurted. It was, she realized as the words came out, the dumbest lie she’d ever told in a con. And she’d told some pretty dumb ones before. But it had been told and now there was no backing down.

"You mean to tell me that you are married to Regina?"

"Yeah." She smiled, hissing the word out through her teeth. "I can hardly believe it myself!"

Tom blinked. “Regina Mills?”

Emma’s smile disappeared and her eyes went cold. “You got a problem with that? Because it’s legal now, you know. And from what Regina told me about this town, I didn’t think there would be any problems here but –”

That seemed to shake Tom out of his stupor. “Oh no. Not at all. I’m just surprised is all.” Tom looked down and quickly began bagging up the groceries. “But you know,” he said when he looked back up, “I always did suspect it about her.”

Emma let out a laugh at that. Sure he did. “Well, turns out you were right.”

Tom grinned back. “I’ll get you a tab started right away. And you just come on back for whatever else you need, you hear?”

Emma hefted the grocery bags in her arms. “Yes, sir. Regina was right about you. You are a good man.” She offered him a little wink and exited the store with an extra swing in her step just for good measure.

**

"Excuse me." A voice called out from behind Emma and she sped up her steps, hoping to get away from whoever it was that was calling out to her. She just wanted to get back to the safety of her – well, Regina’s really – house.

"Excuse me!" The voice called out again and she could hear the sound of boots hitting the pavement at a rather rapid clip. It didn’t look like she was going to escape this guy, whoever he was, and so Emma slowed just slightly and glanced over her shoulder.

Triple shit! The man chasing after her was wearing a badge. She glanced ahead of her, wondering if she could make it on a run, but decided against it. Maybe if she ditched the groceries she could outrun him, but after all she’d gone through to get them, she wasn’t up for that. She would just stick to her story and hope she could fool this cop like she had any number of cops before him.

"Yes?" She smiled, batting her eyelashes just a bit as she looked down to read the title on his badge. "Did I do something wrong, sheriff?"

The man looked down at his badge and then back up at her. “Oh, no. No. I just – I couldn’t help but overhear you back at Clark’s. You’re married to Regina Mills?”

"I certainly am." Emma nodded, smiling and looking the picture of a blushing bride. Or at least she hoped so.

"I’m Graham." The man told her.

"Graham." Emma stopped, turning to look him up and down.

"Humbert." He supplied, as though there could be any other Graham in Regina’s life.

"Graham Humbert." She drawled it out, a grin appearing on her face. This was just too much. "Oh, Graham! Regina’s just told me so much about you!" She shifted the grocery bags and held out a hand to him, still grinning widely. "I’m Emma. Did she tell you about me?"

"No." Graham looked uncomfortable. Emma’s grin grew larger. "I didn’t even know she was married. And to a woman…"

Emma’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the man. Was it really that hard to believe? Regina had slept with her after all, so it wasn’t like it was that impossible. But perhaps the people in town didn’t know of Regina’s proclivities. Or perhaps she had been a one-time thing – she had been trying to marry a man after all. But still, Emma thought, it wasn’t that ridiculous. Not really.

"Well," She laughed, "We really haven’t told anybody yet. It was just kind of a crazy thing we did, sort of on the spur of the moment, you know?"

Graham nodded as though that made sense. “That’s Regina, I guess.”

"Good afternoon, Sheriff." Someone called out and Emma took the opportunity to get moving.

"Hello, Sister Astrid." She heard him say, but a moment later he was right back beside her.

"Tell me, how is she? Regina, I mean."

"Oh, she’s fabulous. Just fabulous. Well, I mean, you know. She’s just such a wonderful woman." Graham flinched just the littlest bit but Emma saw it. It made her smile. "Now a days it’s so hard to tell if a person’s even gonna be there when you wake up, you know?"

Emma continued walking and Graham continued following. “And you’re living in the house?”

"Well, just starting to. Getting groceries, housewares, pots and pans. That sort of thing."

"Well for that sort of thing, you’ll want to go to Neighbor’s Five and Dime. It’s that way." Graham pointed.

"Oh."

"Come on, I’ll show you – introduce you around."

Emma looked him up and down. “You sure you don’t have any police business to attend to?”

Graham held his arm out. “Not at all.”

"Thanks." Emma said, ignoring his arm and starting on ahead. "That’s sweet of you."

**

"I don’t have the cash for all this." Emma protested as more and more items were placed up on the counter by Graham and the man behind the counter who everyone in town called Doc, she learned when she entered and was immediately given a hug upon hearing the "good news" about her marriage.

"Not to worry, not to worry." Doc assured her. "We will put it on your account." He smiled. "There now. You be sure to bring Regina by when she gets here so that we can congratulate her. That darling girl. It’s just so wonderful!"

Graham coughed. “Well, I should be going.”

"Alright." Emma nodded.

He got as far as the door before he turned back around. “Maybe we could grab dinner at Granny’s sometime. Or a drink. Get to know each other better.”

"Oh, that’d be great!"

Graham nodded to the bags. “It seems like the marriage is off to a good start.”

"So far it’s been ideal. Kind of like I’ve died and gone to heaven." Emma winked.

**

Emma was lugging all her bags back towards the house when she saw a large sale going on out front of the town hall. Her eyes scanned the items displayed on the lawn, stopping when they reached a large leather recliner. It looked rather worn, but also supremely comfortable. Without even stopping to look, Emma crossed the street, making a beeline for the chair.

"Oh wow." She groaned as she sank into the soft leather, pulling the handle to extend the leg rest. She leaned back and let her eyes slip closed. "This is amazing."

A throat was cleared above her and Emma opened her eyes to take in the sight of a woman standing over her. She was wearing a look of disapproval that Emma was familiar with from school principals and even some of her stricter teachers.

"Great chair." Emma offered. "Do you work here?"

"Yes." The woman replied.

"I love it." Emma wiggled around, snuggling deeper into the chair. "You could practically live in this chair."

"I don’t see how."

Emma laughed. Of course she didn’t. She’d probably never sit in one of these things. “How much?”

"It’s twenty dollars."

Twenty dollars for a chair like this was a steal, Emma knew, but she also wasn’t above a little finagling. “How about I give you fifteen?”

"No." The woman sniffed, her nose lifting up. "The price of the chair is twenty dollars."

"I tell you what." Emma pushed herself forward, sitting up straight. "I’ll give you seventeen cash."

"We only take cash."

"Do you deliver?"

"Free of charge."

"Well, you’ve got a deal."

"No, we –"

"108 Mifflin Street." Emma rattled off the address and the woman stopped mid-word. "And do you think you could have it delivered by tonight?"

"What was that address?" The woman asked, her tone suddenly sharp.

"108 Mifflin Street. The house that Regina Mills built." She grinned, ready for anything this woman threw at her. She’d worked out the details of the short con and she knew she could pull it off again, just as she had with Tom and Graham and Marco.

"That house," the woman said, looking her up and down, "is vacant."

"Well, we’re moving back."

"We?"

"Oh yes." She held out her hand. "I’m Emma. Regina’s wife."

The woman made no move to take her hand. “I’m Cora. I’m Regina’s mother.”

**

Cora Mills was the mayor of Storybrooke. Of course she was, Emma thought as she sat stiffly in the chair across from her desk in Cora’s ostentatious office, because nothing could ever be easy. She’d just wanted to crash in the house for a while, enjoy the small town life. But with every minute she spent in town, her problems doubled.

"I don’t believe it." Cora snapped as she stared at Emma.

"You don’t?" Emma felt her stomach flip. "Which part?"

"Cora," Regina’s father, a kind looking man named Henry, tried to soothe his wife.

"No, Henry, I don’t believe that Regina would do something like this. Marry someone like… this." She sneered in Emma’s direction.

"Hey!" Emma snapped, standing up. "I don’t know what your problem is lady but if this is about me being a woman then –"

"This," Cora hissed, her tone freezing Emma in place, "is about my daughter marrying some common gold digger who –"

"Mom’s married?" came a voice from the door and all three of them looked over at the young boy who stood there.

"Henry, dear," Cora began and Emma felt her head begin to spin. She had thought that Regina’s father’s name was Henry but apparently her son’s name was Henry too? It was enough to give her a headache but of course that wasn’t even close to what Emma’s mind was screaming about. No, only one word stood out.

Mom.

Regina had a kid.

And Emma was well and truly screwed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Is that true?" Henry asked as he moved into the office, looking at Emma with wide eyes that reminded her of Regina. "You’re married to my mom?"

"Uh," Emma couldn’t bring herself to lie to the kid. Instead, she was going through exit strategies in her head. Of course she’d not only lied to the store clerks but now to the Sheriff and the Mayor. She was in so much trouble. Damn. She really did not want another stint in jail.

"That is what this woman is claiming, Henry, but –"

"Yes, my boy," Henry Sr. cut Cora off.

"As I said," Cora shot a look at her husband, "that’s what this woman claims. However, as none of us have heard a single word about her from Regina –"

"Mom told me about her." Henry said suddenly.

"She did?" They all asked together. Emma was certainly the most shocked of all three of them.

"Yeah, the other night on the phone. I told you, Grandpa. Mom said she had a surprise for me. She must’ve meant…" He looked at Emma.

"Emma." She murmured, her voice cracking over the second syllable.

"Emma." He repeated, a small smile stretching across his face.

"No." Cora shook her head. "I still don’t believe it. She wouldn’t do something like this. Not without telling us."

"Cora," Henry Sr.’s voice was stronger now. "I think we both know that it is possible that Regina would keep her romantic decisions to herself and I think we both know why."

It was the first time that Cora’s strong façade weakened. It was just a flash, a look of almost hurt, before it was gone, but Emma had caught it.

"Henry, why don’t you go on over to Granny’s, get yourself a milkshake?" Henry Sr. pulled out a few dollars and gave them to Henry. The boy let out a huff, obviously not wanting to leave before finding out more, but then nodded.

"Okay, fine." He looked over at Emma. "I’ll see you later?"

"Uh… yeah. Yeah, sure, kid."

Henry grinned at her and then ran off. Silence settled once the door was shut and the sound of Henry’s footfalls had faded from the hallway.

"Look," Emma stuffed her hands into her back pockets, rocking on her heels, "Mayor Mills, I apologize. I – I’m the reason we didn’t tell anyone. I just – it’s hard, you know, for me at least. And I just wanted to make sure that things were going to work before we told our families. I mean, Regina just swept me off my feet, of course, and she wanted to tell everyone, but I just wanted to make sure that the fairy tale would last, you know? So I’m the reason and –"

"You needn’t lie, Miss…"

"Swan." Emma responded immediately. "But it’s Mills now." She added and could’ve kicked herself for it. It’s Mills now? What was she thinking?

"Miss Swan," Cora repeated, making it very obvious what she thought of the idea of Emma marrying her daughter and taking her name. "As I said, you needn’t lie. I know why no one told us of this marriage."

"You do?"

"It’s because of our… disagreement… isn’t it?" Once again, there was a moment where Cora looked uncomfortable, but it was gone just as quickly as it came. Still, it was enough for Emma to latch onto, as it was obvious that Cora didn’t want to talk about whatever the disagreement was.

"Well," Emma frowned, looking sad and guilty, "if you want the truth… yes, it is. But Regina feels really badly about all of this, Mayor Mills."

"Well," Cora sniffed, "you wouldn’t know it to talk to her."

"Perhaps because you never talk to her, Cora." Henry stood and moved over to his wife, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Well, she hardly ever calls or visits and we’ve got Henry and –"

"Cora."

"Mr. and Mrs. Mills, Regina is really sorry about well, everything." Emma blurted. "And she just… she talks about it all the time, you know? In fact, the other night, she even cried about it."

They both stared at Emma as though they’d never seen her before.

"Do you hear that Cora?" Henry turned to her.

"I’m not deaf." Cora snapped, but her face had softened just the littlest bit.

"Well, why don’t you pick up the phone? This feud has gone on long enough. I think this – Emma – is our second chance to do things right."

"Oh, uh, I don’t – I mean – why don’t you let me handle things for now? You can send messages through me. I think it might… be easier."

"Cora?" Henry looked at her, practically begging her with his eyes to relent.

"Well, I suppose you could tell her –" she faltered for a moment before sighing. "Just tell her to come home. Tell my daughter to come home."

Henry pulled Cora into a hug and held her tightly, a wide smile on his face and his eyes glassy.

Emma smiled and then high tailed it out of the office just as soon as she could.

**

The chair was delivered to the house about half an hour after Emma got back. She had the man who delivered it place it in the center of the living room. She then stripped down to her underwear and proceeded to drink the rest of the bottle of champagne, just barely managing to pull one of her new sheets over herself before she fell asleep.

It was in this state that Henry Sr. found her the next morning when he came to the house.

He knocked on the door, rousing Emma just enough for her to call out “come in”.

"Emma?"

"Mr. Mills?" She blinked and stood up quickly, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Oh, is it morning already?"

Henry took in the sight of her in nothing but her underwear and quickly looked away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come so early.”

"Oh, no, it’s fine." Emma stretched up on her tip toes, hands reaching far above her head.

"No, no. You’re – you’re not even awake yet. Or dressed." He blushed.

"Whoops." Emma grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around herself. "Sorry."

"I see you found a place for your chair." Henry nodded at it, still not looking in Emma’s direction.

"Oh, well, yeah. For now. Trying it out and all."

Henry held out an envelope towards her then.

"What’s this?" Emma asked, taking it with a puzzled look.

“Just a little something to help you and Regina get started in your life together.”

Emma opened it and found a check. “Oh, no, I really couldn’t –” Her eyes caught sight of the amount. “Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many zeros in my life.”

"Well," he chuckled, "Regina is our only child."

"Did you give it to her? Can we go spend it now?" Henry burst into the house through the front door, skidding to a stop in front of Emma. "Can we go spend it now?"

Emma clutched the sheet a little tighter. “Oh, uh, kid, I –”

"I was thinking I could decorate my own room." He looked at her as though for permission. "If we go spend it, like I could pick out posters and paint and stuff."

"Well, sure." Emma shrugged. She knew how important a space of your own was. And since Regina was already going to murder her, why not let the kid have some fun? "Why wouldn’t you? It’s yours isn’t it?"

Henry’s grin grew. “Awesome! Come on, get dressed, let’s go.”

**

"Jefferson," Regina called as she moved through the firm to his drafting table, "I’ve been thinking about the house. I think I’m going to sell it."

"Sell it." Jefferson nodded, grabbing the blue print in front of him and setting it down in front of Regina.

"I can pay back everyone I owe money to."

"I agree." He nodded, pointing at the blue print. "Will you look at this for me please?"

"Plus," Regina nodded, running her hands across the blue print to make sure it laid flat, "I feel like holding on to the house is keeping me tied to the past. Jefferson, you have no entrance to this house. Are they going to come in through a window?" She huffed and grabbed an eraser and drafting pencil, setting to work, even as she continued her thought. "I really think it’s preventing me from moving on. It’s keeping me from having any kind of real relationship with someone else."

"Right." Jefferson nodded, watching as Regina worked.

"Like with that waitress the other night."

That caught Jefferson’s attention and he perked up. “The one who didn’t speak English?”

"She was a very interesting woman."

"She must’ve been for you to sleep with her." Jefferson leaned closer. "Tell me, was it good? Was it kinky? I bet it was kinky."

Regina scoffed in disgust. “Jefferson, I never said that I slept with her.”

"Oh, but you did. You wouldn’t have brought her up if you hadn’t. I know you, Regina."

"Okay. Fine. Yes. I slept with her. Are you happy?"

"Getting there." Jefferson leered. "Give me some more details and I’ll be all the way there."

"You are a pig." Regina shook her head. "And I’m not much better. Not after what I did."

"What did you do?"

“I woke up in the middle of the night and I just left. I didn’t even say goodbye or anything. And I know what it is. It’s Graham.”

"Honey, it’s not Graham. How many times do I have to tell you, you don’t love Graham?"

Regina shook her head, ignoring him. “I have to close the book on that – on him. It’s the only way I’ll be able to move on. I’ve got to sell the house.”

She nodded resolutely and then handed the fixed drawing back to Jefferson.

"Whatever you say, Regina."

**

"Emma, look!" Henry shouted as he pointed to something in a storefront window. "Can we get it for my room?"

"He’s a pretty excitable kid, huh?" Emma chuckled as she looked over to see what he was pointing at – an Avengers poster. Then, louder so that Henry could hear her, she called out, "Sure, kid, go tell the clerk. I’ll be in in a minute."

Henry Sr. smiled as he watched his grandson race into the store. “To tell the truth, I haven’t seen Henry this excited in quite a while. It’s a wonderful thing.”

"Oh." Emma shrugged. "Well, I bet he’s excited about the room, you know? Getting to pick out his own things."

"Mm." Henry nodded, looking at her. "I agree the room is part of it, but I don’t think that’s all."

Emma just ducked her head and moved into the store.

**

"Oh. Oh wow. Oh." Emma murmured as she felt her body sink into the memory foam mattress that was on the large sleigh bed that had caught her eye in the furniture store. They’d already picked out and purchased a bed for Henry and Emma had intended to just leave the store, but the bed had called out to her and she couldn’t pass out the opportunity to try it out.

"Woah!" Henry flopped down on the bed beside her. "This is so comfortable!"

"It certainly does appear that way." Henry Sr. laughed, looking at the two bodies on the display bed.

"I’m dead, aren’t I?" Emma asked, her eyes closed. "This is what Heaven is like. I know it."

"If you enjoy it that much, then you should buy it."

Emma’s eyes blinked open. “Oh, no, I couldn’t. I –”

"Emma, so far you have bought nothing for yourself or Regina on this trip. Everything has been for Henry."

"Well, that’s because he’s a cool kid." Emma laughed, ruffling Henry’s hair.

"Hey! Emma!" He pushed her hand away and then jumped from the bed, moving off to find something else in the store to explore.

"It’s not just because of that, is it?" Henry asked as he looked at her.

No, Emma thought, it wasn’t. It was also about the fact that while she could easily justify the groceries and other household items she had purchased, this felt like it was going too far. She was insinuating herself in a life that didn’t exist and this just felt like too much.

"I know you’re worried about Cora, about her gold digger comments, but I know better. And I will be telling her about this trip. If you were out for money, you would’ve spent it without a second thought. So, I insist that you buy this bed."

Emma swallowed as she looked at him, feeling tears coming to her eyes. This, she imagined, was what it felt like to have a father, and it was overwhelming to say the least. “Thank you, Mr. Mills.”

"Oh, Emma, please, it’s Henry. Or Dad, if you’d like?"

A single tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it. “Dad.” She breathed, the word foreign on her tongue.

"Emma! Look!"

Using the opportunity, she whipped her head around, quickly brushing away the moisture on her cheek as she took in the sight of Henry by a foosball table, his eyes alight. “For the basement!”

**

By the time they left Marco’s, they’d ordered what felt like the entire inventory of the store – the beds, of course, but also nightstands, dressers, a coffee table, a dining room set, end tables, floor lamps, a sofa and loveseat – and Marco had promised to have it all delivered within the day. Emma hoped he was sending a few men along with the delivery truck or she had no idea how she would move everything in. She also couldn’t help the smile that was on her face or the excitement that flooded her system at the thought of furnishing her house.

No, not her house. Regina’s house. She quickly shook her head and ended up bumping directly into a man walking down the street.

"Oh, I’m so sorry!" She apologized quickly as she took in the sight of the handsome man before her.

"No worries." He grinned. "You must be Emma."

"Uh, yeah." She offered a slow smile, unsure as to how this man knew her.

"I’m Jim Frederick. Or Coach Frederick, huh Henry?"

Henry grinned up at him. “Yeah, he teaches gym.”

"Well, it’s very nice to meet you." Emma smiled.

"Likewise. My wife Kathryn and I both went to high school with Regina. We were happy to hear about your wedding."

“Thanks. I’m happy too!” She laughed.

"Well, I’ll leave you three to your adventures, but will I see you tonight Henry?"

"Oh, uh," Henry looked down, kicking at the ground, "I don’t know, Coach."

Jim nodded, seeming to understand something Emma didn’t. “Well, we’ll be at the school at 6 and we’d love to have you.” He turned back to Emma and Henry Sr. “Have a good day.”

Emma nodded but quickly turned her gaze back to Henry. The little boy who had been bouncing off the walls all day about paint colors and posters now seemed completely subdued and conflicted. “Henry, what’s tonight at 6?”

"Oh, just basketball tryouts." Henry tried to sound nonchalant, but Emma could sense a hint of longing in his words. She glanced over at Henry Sr. but couldn’t get a read on him.

"You wanna try out?"

Henry’s head whipped up to her. “I – I don’t think – I mean – Grandma says I should be on the Debate Team and I want to join Spanish Club so I can practice with Grandpa and those are both after school, plus riding lessons, and I was thinking of maybe joining the football team because…” Henry’s voice trailed off, his throat seeming to choke him and a glance at Henry Sr. confirmed her thoughts.

"You know what I think?" Emma stopped and leaned down so she was level with him. "I think that if you want to do all of those things, that’s awesome. But I also think that if you want to play basketball and not do some of those other things, that that’s okay too."

"But," Henry looked up, "Everyone –"

"Everyone loves you, Henry. And I know that all your family wants is for you to be happy. I understand wanting to do things to make them happy and proud of you, but I know for a fact that they’re going to be proud of you no matter what you decide to do."

"She’s right, my boy." Henry Sr. chimed in, moving over to rest his hand on Henry’s shoulder. "Your mother married a very wise woman."

Emma shook her head and looked down for a moment before looking back up at Henry. “So, what do you think?”

Henry’s eyes widened. “I think I need to practice!”

Emma straightened back up with a laugh, looking at the window of the store they’d stopped in front of. “I think I’ve got just the thing.” She said, eyeing a basketball hoop inside. “Let’s go.”

**

"I’m pretty sure," Emma said as they slowly made their way back towards Mifflin Street, "that we have bought out this entire town. I don’t think there’s a store that we haven’t been to."

"Wellll," Henry grinned as he looked up at her, "there is one."

"Oh really? And what might that be?"

"This one." He stopped, looking up at her from in front of the Storybrooke Animal Shelter sign.

Emma’s eyes widened. “Henry, no.”

"But Emma, I’ve always wanted a dog and Mom promised that if we ever moved into a bigger house we could get one. We’re moving into a bigger house now."

"No, kid, I can’t. Your mother would – she would – she’d kill me! And then you! And then me again!"

"Grandpa, tell her Mom would be fine with it."

"My boy, I don’t know if –"

“Emma, please!” He stuck his bottom lip out and his big eyes looked just like a puppy dog’s as he looked at her. “At least come in and look. We don’t have to get anything. They might not even have any dogs.”

"Sure they won’t." Emma muttered, finding herself moving forward. The kid was good, she had to give him that. And it wasn’t as if she herself hadn’t always wanted a dog.

Dogs were loyal and protective. Surely Regina wouldn’t mind if her son was being protected, right?

Twenty minutes later, Emma was led out the door by a large sheepdog who let out a happy bark as he started down the street, walking as though he knew exactly where his new home was to be.

Henry laughed the whole way home as he and Emma argued back and forth over names and Henry Sr. could only smile and shake his head.

His daughter had certainly found a treasure in Emma. 


	4. Chapter 4

"We just talk and talk." Emma said as she walked down the street with Graham two days later. They were heading to Granny’s to grab a couple beers and some lunch and of course Graham had started interrogating her about Regina and their relationship almost instantly. "The communication is just amazing. It’s like, Chinese food."

"What?" Graham looked at her, not understanding what she was saying at all.

"You know, like, on a Thursday, when you’ve both just had a long week and you’re exhausted and you don’t really feel like cooking? That’s when Regina comes home with a bag of Chinese food like she just knew. And then we cuddle up on the couch and feed each other with chopsticks and all the stress just melts away."

Graham frowned, not believing it. “Regina eats Chinese food?”

Emma looked at him as though he had two heads. “Doesn’t everyone?”

"Well, I suppose, but I just can’t imagine Regina relinquishing cooking – and especially for take out. It’s so unhealthy."

"Well she does." Emma insisted, perturbed that Graham would question her fake relationship with Regina. As though she didn’t know her own wife. "It’s one of the little ways she shows she loves me. Chinese food. Can you believe it?"

"Not really." Graham mumbled as he opened the door to Granny’s.

"Emma!" Granny called, moving around from behind the counter to show her to a booth.

"Now, Mrs. Lucas, you know you shouldn’t be fussing over me. Ruby can get me a table just fine." Emma smiled at her.

"Nonsense. I’m fine. Healthy as a horse. Could outshoot any of these boys." Granny waved her hand around the room. "And how many times do I need to tell you – you call me Granny, child."

"Yes, Ma’am." Emma nodded as she slid into the booth that Granny had walked her to.

"Oh, Sheriff, are you joining Emma today?" Granny looked him up and down for a bit.

"Yes. Emma is just telling me stories about her and Regina." Graham said as he slid into the other side.

"Oh, well, that’s just wonderful. Such a good girl, that Regina. She always deserved someone who knew how to treat her right." Granny gave a pointed look to Graham before patting Emma lovingly on the head and retreating back towards the counter. "Ruby’ll be right with you."

"Thanks, Granny!" Emma called, still beaming even as a sour look took over Graham’s face. "Isn’t she just the sweetest?"

"Yeah." Graham mumbled. "The sweetest."

"Emma!" Ruby greeted just as enthusiastically, sitting a beer down in front of her with a smile. "How are you? Regina in town yet?"

"Not yet. Soon, hopefully." She offered with a grin, although her mind was screaming the exact opposite. "And how did you know?" She picked up the bottle with a smile.

Ruby grinned. “It’s a gift. You want your usual?”

"That’d be great. Thanks, Rubes."

A small tinge of red painted Ruby’s cheeks as she turned to take in Graham. “And what about you, Sheriff? What can I get you?”

Graham blinked. “I’ll have the number two lunch special and a Bud Light.”

"Got it. Have that up for you right away." Ruby told Emma before heading back towards the kitchen.

"I’ve been coming here for years and I order the same thing for lunch every time, but you’ve got a regular order."

Emma just shrugged, doing her best to keep her face neutral. “Oh, Ruby’s just being nice because I’m new in town.”

"I guess." Graham sighed. "So, anyway, you were gonna tell me how you and Regina met."

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Emma took a long pull of her beer, trying to come up with something to tell the man other than the truth. "Well, you see, I was at this bar and there was this guy there – the owner of the place, who also happened to be my landlord – and he was a real slime bag, you know? Just a real letch. And he kept hitting on me and I kept declining him, trying to be polite because he was my landlord, but I just wasn’t interested and he just wasn’t getting the message. And then he started to get a little handsy with me, which made me uncomfortable, naturally, so I just decided to leave the bar before things could get even more out of hand. When I got down off my barstool, I felt this hand on my back and I knew it wasn’t the guy, because he was in front of me, you know? So I tensed up, thinking it was another jerk, but lo and behold it was Regina."

"Regina? Was in a bar?"

"Mm." Emma nodded, taking another drink. "Some work thing or other. Anyway, she’s got her hand on my back and she leans over to look at the guy and then says ‘is there a problem here, dear?’. And I of course, didn’t know what to say and the guy goes ‘dear?’. And Regina said yes that’s generally what you call your girlfriend and she didn’t appreciate him hitting on me."

"She said she was your girlfriend? And she’d never met you before?"

"Yep. So then he said something derogatory, which I won’t repeat, and Regina just got so mad, she stepped right up and she clocked him one."

Graham nearly choked on his beer. “She hit him?”

"Knocked him right out. Hell of a right hook on that one." Emma beamed. "He dropped like a sack of potatoes."

"Regina Mills punched a man?"

"That’s what I said isn’t it?"

"But – but Regina wouldn’t – she doesn’t –"

"Well she did. Of course, I thanked her profusely and she acted like it was nothing, but I insisted on buying her a drink. But then the guy woke up and he was pissed, so he told me to get my stuff and get out. And that really sucked but I mean, who wants to live somewhere with a guy like that for a landlord anyway? But of course, Regina felt just horrible about everything, like it was her fault that I’d gotten kicked out and she invited me to come live with her in her apartment."

"She invited you to come live with her without even knowing you?"

"Yes! And she wouldn’t even take any rent or anything. You know how Regina is."

"No, I can’t say I know that side of Regina."

"Well, she’s wonderful. And of course, living together, in close quarters… one thing led to another and soon we were in love."

"And then you got married?"

"Mm." Emma took a bite of her grilled cheese, grinning when the cheese stretched out. "It was so darling… Regina took me out to dinner, you know, and she said she had a present for me. And so there was a part of me that was hoping, but it was also fast of course, so I tried not to get too excited. And she handed me a shoe box and, well, I admit, I was disappointed. But Regina was just so insistent that I open the box and look at the shoes and when I did, well… it wasn’t a pair of shoes at all. It was one shoe. An actual, honest to god glass slipper. And then she got down on one knee and put it on me and it fit perfectly! I still don’t know how she managed that, but she said that I’m her princess so… we left the restaurant and went right to city hall to fill out the forms."

"A glass slipper? How did Regina manage to pay for that? Especially if you weren’t helping her with the rent."

"Well, you know, she’s an architect."

"Yeah, but she’s got everything tied up in that house. And she’s only an associate. It doesn’t pay much. And you know as well as I that she won’t take money from her parents."

"Well," Emma leaned forward, looking smug, "she used to be an associate. But she got promoted."

"She did?"

"Mm. They love her at the firm. She’s kicking some major architectural ass."

"She – she is?"

"Of course she is." Emma nodded. "My wife is a wonder."

"She certainly is." Graham sighed.

**

Regina pulled her Benz into the driveway, glancing over at the for sale sign resting on her passenger seat. This was the right thing to do, she knew it. She had to sell the house and move on with her life. With another fortifying nod to herself, she climbed out of the car and looked up at the house.

There was no bow on the door.

She frowned a little but moved up towards the porch anyway. Her parents may have taken it down, or perhaps the weather had done it in. It had been months after all.

Upon reaching the porch she stopped to wipe her heels on the welcome mat, before suddenly halting her movements. There had been no welcome mat here before, of that she was sure. With narrowed eyes, she reached forward and pushed open the door, frowning as it opened easily. What was going on here?

She walked through the door, stopping again only a few feet into the house. It was furnished. Not completely bare as it had been on the day she’d shown it to Graham, but completely furnished, right down to pictures and art prints hanging on the wall. Pictures of her son. What the hell was happening?

Singing could be heard from the kitchen and she headed in that direction. She gasped as she caught sight of blonde hair and a lithe body moving.

"Hello?" She called out.

Emma startled and froze, staring over at Regina with wide eyes. “What are you doing here?”

"What am I – what are you doing here?" Regina demanded, moving closer.

"Well, I – I got kicked out of my apartment and I would’ve called you, but I didn’t know where you lived or worked or anything."

"You’re the waitress." Regina gaped, everything suddenly clicking together in her head. "Emma."

Emma scoffed, rolling her eyes, offended. “Well excuse me, but I thought we’d been introduced.”

Regina felt her cheeks heat just a bit at the reminder of what had happened between them that night and how she had left after without a word to Emma.

"No, I recognize you it’s just… you’re not in your… your wench’s outfit."

"Yeah, well, I think you saw me without it once before." Emma sassed back. "Besides, I had to get out of that place. Killian and I had a difference of opinion about when he could come into my apartment through my broken door and just where exactly he could place his hands while there. He’s lucky he still has both of them."

"Didn’t you have any friends you could go to?"

"I told you I’d just moved to the city. Besides work, I didn’t know anyone. All I had was the napkin drawing you did of this house. I knew it was here in Storybrooke and you said it was just sitting here, unused so…" Emma waved her arms around as though it was an obvious jump.

"So you decided to move in?" Regina stared at her for long moments before looking back around the room. "And where did all this furniture come from, because it certainly wasn’t in your apartment?"

"Marco’s."

"No, I mean, how did it get here? The furniture fairy?"

Emma shrugged. “I’ll pay you back.”

"Pay me back?" Regina hissed.

A bark suddenly sounded from behind Regina and she stumbled forward as two large paws planted themselves on her back.

"Thor! No!" Emma scolded, moving forward and taking the large sheepdog by the collar. "That’s not a good boy," she said as she moved him towards the sliding door that opened onto the back porch. The back yard was surrounded by that white picket fence which did come in handy, at least in the dog department.

"Thor?" Regina followed along, still struggling to catch up with everything. "What is happening?!" Her voice raised up to a pitch Emma had never heard from her before. She sounded rather hysterical, in fact.

"Well," Emma soothed, turning around after closing the door behind Thor, "if you’d just listen for a minute…"

“I am listening! You’re not making any sense!” The hysterical edge was still there. For a moment, Emma considered slapping Regina across the face and telling her to snap out of it, but she doubted that would go over any better than the rest of the story would.

"Alright." Emma moved back into the kitchen, slowing her speech as though talking to a young child. "I was hungry, okay? And while I may have been able to subsist on just champagne in the past, I decided to go down to Clark’s Grocery Story. I was just going to get some peanut butter and tuna fish, you know? But that’s when I overheard Ruby tell Tom –"

"Wait, Ruby?"

"Mm." Emma nodded. "Ruby Lucas."

"You know Ruby?"

"Who in town doesn’t know Ruby?" Emma shrugged as though it should be obvious. "Of course, with everything going on with Granny’s health lately, she’s really been put through the ringer. And I don’t know if you’ve heard about Granny, but she just had another heart scare and of course she won’t listen, just wants to get right back to the diner. Ruby thinks it’s because she doesn’t trust her to run the place but I told her that I don’t think that’s true at all because –"

"Wait a minute." Regina cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Go back to the part in Clark’s where Ruby says to Tom."

"Ok. So Ruby told Tom to just put it on Granny’s account."

Regina’s eyes widened. “You charged the groceries to me?”

"Well, I was hungry!" Emma defended. "Come on, you’ve got to understand that."

"Understand –" Regina shook her head. "You’re living in my house uninvited and I’m supposed to understand that?" Emma just stared at her as though she couldn’t see why Regina didn’t understand everything that had happened. "What did you tell him? How did you get him to charge it in the first place?"

"Well…" Emma drew the word out, preparing herself for the explosion, "I guess he was under the impression that I was…"

"Insane?"

"No!" Emma looked almost hurt at that. "I just told him to go ahead and put it on our account."

"Our account?" Regina repeated.

"It seemed harmless."

It was then that the lightbulb went off. Emma could see the moment that Regina realized exactly what she’d told Tom. It was all in her eyes. “You told him we were married?”

"What was I supposed to do? You tell me."

“And he believed you?” Regina continued on, not even acknowledging Emma.

"And why wouldn’t he believe me?" Emma stood up, her own eyes suddenly blazing. "What, I’m not good enough to be your wife? Just your one night stand?"

"No!" Regina defended. "I didn’t mean –"

"Well, Tom thinks I’m good enough. And Ruby and Marco think I’m good enough. And –"

From outside came the sound of the dog barking. Regina stopped and turned towards the door as though just suddenly realizing something else, something even bigger than the revelation that Emma was pretending to be her wife. “Thor.”

"What about him?" Emma couldn’t see where the non sequitur came from.

"The dog’s name is Thor."

"Well of course it is. You know how Henry loves The Avengers. I personally thought we should call him Tony but –"

"My son thinks we’re married?" Regina sounded both horrified and terrified at the prospect.

"Hey, it’s not so bad. Come on, everything’s going to be fine." Emma assured with a grin. And for one second, Regina almost believed her. But just as quickly the moment passed.

"Emma!" She called as she watched Emma leave the room and head for the staircase. "Emma!" She jumped up and raced after her. "Emma! Emma! You cannot stay here."

"Well, why not?" Emma flopped down on the bed in the master bedroom.

"I hardly know you!" Regina

"Oh come on. Where am I supposed to go? And what do you mean you hardly know me?"

"Look, I’m sorry – I’m terribly sorry about the way I acted. But I’m going through a bit of a difficult time right now and this is really not helping. Look, I –" she pulled out her wallet and took out all the bills resting inside, "here’s… two hundred dollars. It should help you get back on your feet again."

Emma stared at the money as though it was a poisoned apple Regina was offering up. “What the hell is that, huh? Payment for services rendered?”

"Wh – no! No, of course not."

"I don’t want your god damn money."

"No, just my god damn house." Regina snapped back.

"Hello? Emma?" A voice cut in, freezing Regina.

"Graham." She gasped, seeing him peeking his head around the doorframe.

"Regina." He breathed, his eyes roaming over Regina’s body. "I was just stopping by to see how things were coming together. Thought maybe we could grab a beer, Emma. And then I saw the Mercedes out front so I – congratulations." He held his arms out and Regina went into them willingly.

Emma sat up, watching them.

"I’m happy for you, Regina." He told her.

It was then that Regina seemed to come back into herself. She pulled away and turned towards Emma. “Yes, well, you needn’t be. Do you want to tell him, Emma, or should I?”

"You can be a real bitch, you know?" Emma huffed, falling back on the bed.

"Maybe I should just come back another time." Graham said, already turning to head for the door.

"No! No, Graham. Wait!" Regina chased after him. "Graham, look, it isn’t what you think."

"No, Regina, whatever it is, it’s between you and your wife."

"No, Graham, you don’t understand, she isn’t –"

Graham held up his hand. “Listen, I understand if you’re trying to… spare my feelings or something, Regina, but really, you don’t need to. Emma is a truly unique woman and if she makes you happy, then I’m happy for you. I mean, the things Emma has been telling me –”

"What things?"

"About your marriage. I just – I see a whole new side of you when she talks about you. I’m just sorry I never saw it before."

Regina stopped and studied Graham’s face. It couldn’t be, could it? Could he really be jealous of her marriage? Could he really like the side of her – whatever side that was – that Emma was telling him about? “You are?”

"Do you know why I said no to you that day?" Graham asked, turning and moving towards his cruiser.

"You said that you thought I was just trying to replace Daniel, to give Henry a father figure, but Graham I –"

"I know that’s what I said. And it wasn’t a lie but… it wasn’t the whole truth either. The truth was, you scared me."

"I scared you?"

"Building this house, putting a ribbon on it. The white picket fence. It was perfect and I just – I didn’t think I could live up to that – be the perfect husband you needed. But now, when I see you through Emma eyes, you look very different to me. I mean, she told me about the Chinese food and it just shocked me. But it also made me see that if you had someone committed to a relationship with you, that you could do amazing things. I mean, just look at your promotion."

"My promo –" Regina blinked. What other lies had Emma told? "She told you about that?"

"Of course she did. She’s very proud of you and she has every right to be. Who wouldn’t be proud to have you as a wife? I know that I’m kicking myself right now."

"You are?" Regina’s mind began to race, suddenly seeing the possibilities opening up before her. If Graham was jealous, if he was able to see her as a wife that he’d want, then the whole thing could still be salvaged.

"Yeah, I am a little."

"I –" Regina began but was cut off by the sound of a car coming to a stop in the driveway and a shout that made her heart flip.

"Mom!"

She spun away from Graham, already kneeling down to be at her son’s level as he raced into her arms. “Henry!” She laughed, holding him close and kissing his hair. “What are you doing here?” She asked as she pulled back to look at him, drinking in the sight of him, trying to see if anything had changed while she had been away from him. “How did you know I was home?”

"I didn’t! Grandpa brought me over a little early so I could play with Thor before Emma takes me to basketball practice. I can’t believe she didn’t tell me you were coming home!"

"Basketball?" Regina frowned. Since when had her son started playing basketball? How had she missed this?

Henry seemed to deflate at her question. “Yeah. I mean, Emma said you wouldn’t be upset – that if it was something I wanted to do it would be okay. But if you want me to quit, I will. I can still join the debate team and do the riding lessons and –”

"Oh no. No, Henry, sweetheart, that’s not it at all." She pulled him close, holding on to him tightly and hating that he had ever felt like he had to do certain things to please her. Didn’t he know that he was her universe?

"I was just surprised, that’s all." She cleared her throat. "Emma didn’t tell me that you had made the basketball team."

Henry pulled away grinning and it lit up Regina’s heart as well. “That’s because I made her promise not to tell you. I wanted to tell you myself. I was going to when I talked to you tonight, but now you’re here! This is the best.” He hugged her tight again. “And Emma’s the best too, Mom. You were right – she was an awesome surprise.”

The surprise Regina had mentioned to Henry on the phone was supposed to be that she was going to take him out of school the following Friday and they were going to spend a long weekend together in Boston. But Henry had obviously fallen into Emma’s trap and thought that she was the surprise Regina meant. Still, she couldn’t help but see how excited Henry seemed by Emma. It would make things difficult if he was growing attached to her, but she could fix this. She could fix everything.

"Yes, she was certainly a surprise, wasn’t she?" Regina smiled at him.

"Well," Graham spoke up, "I should be going. But Regina, again, congratulations. And Henry, good luck with basketball. If it doesn’t work out, you could always join the football team, just like your dad and I did back in the day."

Henry frowned at that, the reminder of not being like his father hitting him again. “Yeah, sure, Sheriff.” He muttered, stubbing his shoes against the driveway.

“My grandson is already an excellent basketball player and with Emma and his coach’s help, he will only get better.” Henry Sr. said matter-of-factly, shaking his head at the man his daughter had once wanted to marry. It was the little things like this that always reminded him of just how wrong Graham was for her. And now, it showed again just how good Emma was, not only for his daughter, but for his grandson as well.

The boy had been practically bouncing off the walls when he had come home from tryouts to tell them that he had made the team. For the past two days, Henry had made him and Cora watch as he practiced with Emma for hours, even going so far as to convince them all to play a pick up game. Even Cora couldn’t deny how happy Henry was. So who was the Sheriff to make Henry feel down on himself?

"Of course, sir." Graham mumbled, climbing into his car and driving away.

"Mom, have you met Thor?" Henry asked excitedly as he heard the sound of the dog barking from the back yard.

"Yes, we have had an encounter." Regina rolled her eyes as she thought of the shaggy mass of a beast who had jumped up on her.

"Isn’t he the coolest?" Henry’s smile took up his whole face. "He’s really smart. We already taught him to fetch and he listens to commands. And he needs a lot of exercise, so Emma takes him on her runs in the mornings and I’ve been playing with him at night before basketball practice to help me warm up."

"I see. And whose idea, exactly, was it to get this dog?" Regina looked from her father to her son.

"I just figured, with how big the house was, and only having us three there… sheepdogs are really protective too, Mom, so he’ll keep us safe. Emma agreed."

"Oh she did?"

Henry Sr. chuckled. “Emma’s as much as a pushover when it comes to Henry as you are.”

Regina tilted her head in surprise at her father’s comment.

"I’m gonna go play with Thor. Will you come to basketball practice tonight too, Mom?"

“Of course, sweetheart.” She assured but Henry was already pulling open the gate to head into the backyard.

"Oh Regina," Her father embraced her once Henry was gone, "You brought home a princess."

Regina pulled back, shocked. “Wh-what?”

Henry smiled. “Emma. She’s wonderful.”

"She is?" Regina frowned, but quickly realized her mistake. "I mean, she is, of course. I just –"

"You mother was… concerned at first, but it’s easy for me to see why you picked her. I only wish you would’ve let us be there for the wedding."

"Yes, well, I – we – it all just –"

"I know, I know." He kissed her forehead. "No need to explain, dearest. Now, I’m sure we’ve kept you from your wife long enough. Go ahead, spend some quality time together. I’ll entertain Henry and the dog."

Regina swallowed, seeing the sparkle in her father’s eye. “Thank you, Daddy.”

**

Emma was still in the bed when Regina reentered the room. She had pulled the covers up over her head so that all that could be seen was a lump.

"What are you doing?"

"Enjoying this bed for a few more moments."

Regina reached out and yanked the covered back, revealing Emma. Her hair was sticking all over the place, the static from the bed covers having worked on it, and when Regina took in her pouting expression, she almost melted and laughed right there. Emma was an incredibly attractive woman, Regina had always thought so, and now there was something sweet and rather adorable about her.

"Yes, well, you’ll be pleased to know that you may continue to enjoy the bed for a while longer."

Emma sat straight up. “What?”

"While I in no way approve of what you have done, you have somehow managed to ensnare both my father and my son in your web of lies. It would hurt them if I told them the truth now."

Emma’s eyes narrowed. “And it would blow your cover with Graham.”

"I beg your pardon?" Regina tried to look confused or offended, but Emma could see right through her.

"Oh come on, Regina, be straight with me. Yeah, the kid and your dad like me, but they’d be just fine if I left, especially if you told them that I –"

"Was a con artist?"

"Not what I was going to say." Emma shook her head, denying the term. "Look, fact of the matter is, they’d get over it. Everyone would. But you realized that Graham’s jealous, didn’t you?"

"You think so too!" Regina sat on the bed, leaning close to Emma, their legs brushing. "It’s not just me."

"Oh no." Emma shook her head. "Lover boy is definitely jealous."

"I knew it!" Regina laughed triumphantly. "And that is exactly why we’re going to stay married."

"We are?"

"Yes, for a time. We’ll go out around town, play the happy couple, and before you know it, Graham will fall for me all over again."

"And then what?"

"Then you very valiantly give me a divorce because you only want me to be happy."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do. Afterwards, you go your way without me pressing charges against you, I marry Graham like I was always meant to, and everybody’s happy."

Emma leaned back against the pillow, watching Regina. It was actually a decent plan. Emma would certainly have to do most of the work as far as their relationship went because Regina didn’t strike her as a very good liar, but it could easily work. And if it allowed her to stay in the house for a little while longer, to live in this little make believe world she’d created, and then get to leave without Regina retaliating against her, well, who was she to argue?

Still, she couldn’t seem too agreeable. “Boy, for awhile there, it was really a great marriage.”

Regina rolled her eyes and sniffed at the very idea.

"Well it was!" Emma defended as she pulled the comforter up to her chin. "Until you came into it."


End file.
